Three sisters have died in a horror crash in North Carolina just a day before the youngest woman's birthday.
The head-on crash happened after a vehicle slammed into them while they were travelling on Highway 690 in Moore County on Wednesday, June 7. Viola Medlin Singletary, 74, Gloria Medlin McCrimmon, 72, and Cheryl Elaine Medlin, 63, were killed after a Kia crossed the centre line of the highway, slamming into their vehicle.
The silver Hyundai, driven by Viola, was completely destroyed in the crash. The driver of the Kia was also killed, leaving Suzanne Beasley, a passenger in the Kia, as the lone survivor. She was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries.
Police say the crash happened at around 11am when the unidentified Kia driver came speeding around a bend, veering across the road and into the sisters' lane before smashing into their Hyundai.
Relatives told local outlets that the sisters were heading out to pick up a truck as the family were preparing for Cheryl's birthday on Thursday, June 8.
She would have turned 64 the day after she was killed. The family still apparently bought balloons to celebrate the occasion and planned to hold a balloon release in the evening in Cheryl's memory.
The sisters, from Southern Pines, "loved each other deeply", Cheryl's granddaughter Brianna England told local newspapers.
Taking to Facebook on what would have been her grandmother's birthday, Brianna wrote: "I'm lost without you. I wish you were here so I can give you one last hug and kiss.
"You always told me it's never goodbye it's always going to be see you later."
Cheryl's daughter, Adrell Medlin, told ABC 11: "It's got to be a dream. This can't be true.
"I feel like I'm still in a dream. Oh Jesus, I wouldn't wish this on nobody."
Suzanne's cousin, Wayne Davis, said he was actually on the road when he witnessed the horrific crash. He said he rushed in to help, only to find his cousin involved in the brutal wreck.
"I hadn't seen my cousin in eight years, and there was blood around her face," he told local outlet WRAL. "I couldn't recognise that was my cousin."
Wayne said the crash saw the Hyundai spin out of control toward his own car. He said parts from the engine were being "flung at my work truck while I was riding down 690 highway."
The head-on crash happened with such force, the engines from both cars involved were torn out. State Highway Patrol say the investigation is ongoing, but early indications show that speeding and reckless driving on the part of the Kia were what is likely to have led to the crash.
"It's not worth driving reckless," said Brianna. "You took three innocent lives."
